As if maintaining the health of our mane at home without help from a professional isn’t tiresome enough, we also have to deal with the adverse effects of lockdown stress on our tresses. But if you think that these are the only factors responsible for making your mane look dry and damaged, you, my friend, are wrong.
Some certain habits and factors may also miss your attention, leaving your hair getting dull and damaged in the process. We are here to raise the alarm on these habits so that you can correct them before it’s too late. Scroll down to find out what they are.
- 01. Styling your hair in tight hairstyles
- 02. Skipping hair wash days
- 03. Eating unhealthy food
- 04. Ignoring split ends and hair damage
- 05. Not taking out the time to destress often
01. Styling your hair in tight hairstyles
Hairdos that are too tight can be extremely damaging to the roots. Tight buns, haphazardly created ponytails or messy top knots can tug on your roots, weakening them and pushing them to fall off faster. Take some time off in the morning to style your hair in protective hairstyles like braids and loose buns — even when you do not have to attend a Zoom call. You might also want to leave your hair open for some hours of the day to let your scalp breathe!
02. Skipping hair wash days
If you let your hair go dirty for days on end without washing, it can lead to a buildup of oil, dirt and grime on your scalp. This further leads to the clogging of hair follicles, hindering the natural hair growth cycle. Not to mention, your hair will smell nasty and feel itchy. To avoid this, you have to wash your hair at least 2-3 times a week depending on your hair type, even while staying indoors.
BB picks: Tresemme Botanique Detox and Restore Shampoo and Conditioner
03. Eating unhealthy food
If you are not big on cooking and have been consuming a diet that lacks the vitamins and minerals needed to maintain hair health, you might start to notice a sudden rise in hair loss. Skimping on proteins can damage your hair strands and even reduce your body’s capacity to create new hair follicles to replace old ones. Enrich your diet with lots of eggs, spinach, fatty fish, seeds, avocados, nuts and biotin supplements to help maintain healthy hair at home.
04. Ignoring split ends and hair damage
It is often said that missing on regular hair trims will ‘stop’ your hair growth, but in reality, split ends and dryness are the ones to blame for hindering hair growth. And since you’re under lockdown means that you will probably be skipping more than a couple of trimming appointments, leading to an increase in hair breakage. Make sure to deep condition your hair once a week to avoid split ends. A deep conditioner is packed with potent ingredients that can repair and revive damaged tresses. If you’ve got steady hands, you can try trimming your hair at home; here’s a handy guide that’ll help.
BB picks: Dove Intense Damage Repair Hair Mask
05. Not taking out the time to destress often
Extended work hours combined with stress and lack of sleep can force your hair to go into the ‘resting’ phase. Hair follicles in this phase stop growing and fall off sooner than intended. This is primarily caused by the overproduction of cortisol in your body, which you can only manage by introducing stress solutions in your routine. Try practising yoga or meditation and get 7-8 hours of sleep every night if you want healthy, luscious hair.
Written by Sumona Bose on Jun 18, 2021
Sumona Bose is a writer, skincare junkie and a self-professed makeup connoisseur. Equipped with a Master's degree in Fashion Management and over 3 years of experience writing in the beauty and fashion space, her passion for learning new things has no bounds. Working closely with dermatologists, beauty excerpts, makeup artists and hairstylists, she brings you the best of all things beauty. From trending skincare ingredients to makeup looks that help you slay, she manages to bring something new (and vital!) to our readers every single time. Her hobbies include home workouts, watching foreign films and binge-watching makeover shows!